


I'm Still Here

by Thefemalearrow



Series: To the Heart [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 90s, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Multi, Post-Canon, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24794641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thefemalearrow/pseuds/Thefemalearrow
Summary: Nancy moves back to Hawkins with her daughter Barbara when things get strange
Relationships: Dustin Henderson/Erica Sinclair, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers/Original Male Character(s)
Series: To the Heart [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793329
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

*Nancy's P.O.V*  
I drove into Hawkins, Indiana. I haven't been here since I was a junior in high school. I have been forced to block out the memories here. My parents wanted me and my sister, Molly, to have a fresh start in Orange County, California. Because of this, Jonathan has never met his daughter, Barbara. I could of resent my parents because of it.  
They also basically forgot Mike existed. They haven't visited Mike's grave since the day of the funeral. They've basically said I can't tell Barbara about her uncle. Molly probably forgot that she has a brother. They never even tried to find his killer. They didn't even question why he was even in New York.  
Which is one reason I left. I to get out of that toxic environment with Barbara. I got a well-paying reporter job here. I stopped at the local Kroger to pick up a frozen pizza for dinner. I picked up a cheese pizza since it's Barbara's favorite type of pizza. I smiled when I saw Max at the counter. "Hey Max," I said.  
"Hey Nancy, I didn't expect to see you again," she said. I saw her shift. I'm not an idiot. I know she knows what happened in New York, but I haven't gotten a good chance to ask her or the other kids.  
"Well I need a change of scenery," I said. I paid for the pizza and left.  
*Max's P.O.V*  
I watched her leave. I felt guilty because I was there when Mike died. Did I kill him? No. Did I help hide the body? No. Could I have taken the bullet thought? Yes. He had a broken leg so he couldn't have moved out of the way of the bullet quickly enough.  
I was taken out of my thoughts when I regularly came up to the cash register. Her name was Jane and she always bought at least one box of egos. She barely talked. As I helped her bag her stuff, I saw her wrist and held backed a gasp. She had a tattoo and her wrist that said:  
011


	2. Chapter 2

*Max's P.O.V*  
I drove home as soon as my shift was over. I had to tell Lucas what I saw. I went in and saw Lucas playing in the living room with our son, Mike. Me and Lucas shared a kiss. "How was work?" Lucas asked.  
"Yeah, but something crazy happened," I said. "I think I saw Eleven. I saw a girl with the same tattoo she has."  
"Did you say anything to her?" Lucas asked. I assume that he asked that because he made an oath to never talk about what happened in New York to anyone. It was so Eleven wouldn't get charged with the murders of 008 and her gang.  
"Nothing other than what I say to every other customer," I said.  
"We should talk to Dustin and Will about this," he said.  
"Yep," Max said.  
*Jane's P.O.V*  
I sat on my porch. I smiled when I saw Nancy. I kind of missed her, even though we were never close. I saw she was with a little girl. Everyone knew Nancy left Hawkins pregnant and that her parents made her dump Jonathan. The Wheelers left, but the town has always been affected by them.  
I decided to go say hi. I knocked on her door. She opened it. "Hello I'm Jane, your new neighbor," I said.  
"Hi I'm Nancy," she said. He shook hands, "Eleven?" she asked. I realized my wrist was exposed.  
"Don't tell anyone," I said.  
"I won't if you tell me what happened in New York," she said, crossing her arms.  
"I'll do anything but that," I said.  
"Don't you think I deserve to know," she said.  
"You're going to want to sit down," I said. She nods and we sit on the couch. "So I was friends with this girl named 008. I left her to close the gate. She came back and kidnapped Mike. She took him to New York. When he went and saved him, she reviled that this was to make me stronger because my powers and anger are connected. So, in order to get my powers to their full potential, she shot him. I killed her and her gang. We tried to get him to the hospital to save him, but he died within an hour of us arriving. And that's what happened in New York."


	3. Chapter 3

*Nancy's P.O.V*  
I leaned back into my seat, tears ruining down my face. The night before Mike died, I just assumed he was spending the night at a friend's house and just forgot to tell me or call me. Asides I was throwing up all night do to the pregnancy. "I'm sorry, it's my fault," Eleven said.  
"No it's not," I said.  
"You know, he talked about you a lot," she said. "He said he looked up to you and wanted to be just like you." I had tears building up in my eyes.  
"He said that he loved you very much," she said. She had tears streaming down her face. Her nose than began bleeding.  
"The gate has reopened," she said.


	4. Chapter 4

*Jonathan's P.O.V*  
To say I was happy that Nancy moved back would be an understatement. Maybe we could rekindle our relationship and I can finally meet my kid. I didn't even know if I had a son or a daughter.  
I looked in my passenger seat. I hadn't seen her in over a decade, but I knew I wanted to marry her. She was going to start working at the Hopskin's post as a reporter. I'm a photographer for the paper. I had my grandma's ring and I was heading to her house.  
When I got there, I knocked on the door. There was no answer. I looked in the window and saw Nancy with a little girl. She looked old enough to be my daughter. Nancy saw me and opened the door. "Hi Jonathan," she said.  
"Hey Nancy, long time no see," I said.  
"Want to come into eat dinner?" she asked. I nod and go in. "Barb, I have someone for you to meet."  
"Who is it?" she asked.  
"This is your dad," Nancy said, putting her hand on my shoulder.  
Then I woke up. I automatically knew I was in the upside-down. I saw the mind fair. I tried to run, but it caught me. It entered my body and I became its host.


	5. Chapter 5

*Max's P.O.V*  
I and Lucas drove to Will's house. We got an invite for a get-together. "Were going to have to hide a body if it's another invite to play Dungeons and dragons," I said.  
"I won't help, but I won't snitch," Lucas said.  
"I love you," Max said.  
"I love you too," Max said. We then pulled up to Will's house. James's, his husband, opened the door.  
"Hello Mrs. and Mr. Sinclair," I said.  
"Lucas and Max are fine," I said. "Can we come in?"  
"Of course," James said. Erica and Dustin were sitting in the living room. We sat down as Will came out.  
"What are you guys doing?" Will asked.  
"You invited us," Erica said.  
"No, I didn't," Will said.  
"I did," a female voice. Someone who I recognized as Eleven emerged.  
"El," I said confused.  
"That's me," she said.  
"I haven't seen you in ages," I said, before getting up and hugging her. "Where in the world have you been?"  
"I need to get away from everything," she said, hugging me back.  
"Well you were missed," I said. Everyone but Erica joined in on the hug. I had no idea if Dustin told her what happened in New York. That brought back a funny memory to the day Erica and Dustin told us they were dating. Dustin had a black eye for weeks.  
"It's great to see you again," Dustin said.  
"It's great to see you guys to, I just wish it was under better circumstances," she said. "The gate has reopened." Will then grabbed his neck.  
"The mind flair is near," he said.


	6. Chapter 6

*Will's P.O.V*  
I grabbed my gun and peered out the window. I saw... Jonathan? It can't be him. It must be behind him. "What do you see?" Max asked.  
"Jonathan," I said.  
"No way," Max said.  
"At least we know what do, we just need to get my mom," I said.  
"Good idea," James said.  
"We'll get mom and trap Jonathan. you guys get the room ready," Lucas said. We nod and separate.  
*Eleven's P.O.V*  
I was getting ready with Max. She looked upset. "What's wrong?" I asked.  
"Just you ghost us for ten years, and then you need us and that's when you contact us," Max said.  
"I left because I needed space," I said.  
Max's face then went red with anger. "You left when we needed to be together! Your not the only one misses Mike! Mike died! That sucks. Doesn't mean you should abandon everyone else who loves you. Do you even know that chief Hopper, your own father, is dead? He died of kidney cancer two years ago. He spent his last years looking for you. Mike isn't the only person who loves you! Get over it."  
She then left the room and slammed the door.


	7. Chapter 7

*Nancy's P.O.V*  
*flashback*  
I sat at the table. I was five months pregnant and found out I'm having a baby girl. I decided her name will be Barbara after my best friend. Today was the day we moved from Hawkins to Orange County. "Honey will you pass the salt," my mom asked. My dad did so.  
"So we're going to pretend like everything is normal?" I asked.  
"What do you mean Nancy?" my mom asked.  
"Your acting like everything is normal when it's not," I said. "I'm pregnant with Jonathan's baby and Mike is dead."  
"We're trying to move on," my mom said.  
"Are you kidding me?" I yelled. "You don't even care that Mike is dead. You didn't cry at the funeral or when you found out. You didn't even question why he was in New York. You're a terrible mother and I hate you."  
I then left the table.  
*End flashback.*  
I was at my house getting supplies. I got a phone call and I picked it up. "Nancy Wheeler from the Hawkins post," I said.  
"Nancy I want you to hear me out," I heard my mom said.  
"What is it, mom?" I asked, annoyed. "I'm busy."  
"I know what happened with Mike, he was killed by a gang," I said.  
"I know, Eleven told me," I said.  
"I do care about what happened to Mike," she said. "I cried myself to sleep every night thinking of what I did wrong. I had to be strong for you, Molly, and eventually Barb. I didn't want you to talk about it because if you did, I'd break down. I love you so much, Nancy."  
I started crying. I never thought about it like that. My mom is very strong. I hope I can be as strong as her. "I love you too," I said, before hanging up.


	8. Chapter 8

*Will's P.O.V*  
I got the call that they captured Jonathan and we headed back to my childhood home. Everyone was already there. I noticed Max was giving Eleven looks. I also saw Nancy was wiping away tears. "Are you ready El?" My mom asked Eleven.  
"Let's get rid of this thing once and for all," she said with no emotion. We watched as the exorcism began. Jonathan started thrashing around and screaming for us to stop. James put his hand on my shoulder in a comforting way and squeezed it.  
"Thanks," I said. The mind flair eventually left his body.  
"Kill it now," James told Eleven. She then started killing it. After must struggle on Eleven's part, it was dead. Eleven was badly bleeding and dropped to the floor.  
*Max's P.O.V*  
Eleven fell to the ground. We all rushed to her side. We realized we couldn't save her. She was losing to much blood. "El, I'm sorry I don't think we can save you," I said.  
"Don't be," she said. She looks at us. "You all have family down here on Earth. My family is waiting for me up there." She pointed at the sky.  
"You did good," Joyce says. "Thank you for everything."  
"No problem," she says. She then smiles slightly. "Mike says hi. He says he's always going to be there for you and he can't wait for us to be reunited."  
She smiled as she died. We all held each other while crying.  
*Eleven's P.O.V*  
I woke up in shallow water. I stood up. I saw in my reflection. I was my 14-year-old self again. "El," I heard a familiar voice. I turned to unsurprisingly see Mike. We started ruining towards each other. We met in the middle and shared a kiss. "We've been waiting for you," he said.  
"I missed you so much, "she said. Now we can be together again finally. Nothing stands in our way. No more monsters. No more upside downs. No more Kali. Just us.


	9. Chapter 9

Epilogue  
*Dustin's P.O.V*  
When we tell our story, we tell the facts. They say we're crazy, but we know the facts. We've all passed our stories to our children and grandchildren. Our stories will last forever.  
Even though people say we're crazy, the kids of Hawkins can sleep easily knowing two angles will always be watching them. They watch over the town. They stay, waiting for us to join them. But we're still here.  
We're still here.


End file.
